Rev. Richard H. Baker Jr., 64, headmaster, pastorThe Rev...

January 07, 1999

Rev. Richard H. Baker Jr., 64, headmaster, pastor

The Rev. Richard H. Baker Jr., former headmaster of St. James School in Hagerstown and retired rector of the Episcopal Church of the Guardian Angel in Baltimore, died Sunday of laryngeal cancer at his home in Eagles Mere, Pa. He was 64.

Mr. Baker was rector of the church in the Huntington section of the city from 1994 until 1997, when he retired and moved to Eagles Mere.

He was headmaster of the Hagerstown private school from 1984 to 1991, and earlier had served Episcopal parishes in Ahoskie, N.C., Savannah, Ga., and Charlottesville, Va. In 1971, he joined the faculty of Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he was an instructor and coach until 1984.

Born and raised in Roland Park, Mr. Baker was the son of the Rt. Rev. Richard H. Baker Sr., former rector of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer and later Episcopal bishop of North Carolina.

He attended Gilman School and graduated in 1952 from Groton School in Groton, Mass. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1956 from the University of North Carolina, where he was an All-American swimmer and collegiate record holder.

A Rhodes Scholar, he graduated in 1958 from Christ Church College of Oxford University and earned his divinity degree in 1960 from Virginia Episcopal Seminary in Alexandria, Va.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Church of the Guardian Angel, 2629 Huntington Ave. in Baltimore.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, the former Nonie Strohman; three sons, Dr. R. Hal Baker of York, Pa., William M. Baker of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Dean H. Baker of Eldersburg; a daughter, Elizabeth B. Scheff of West Cranston, R.I.; his mother, Lee S. Baker of Cockeysville; a sister, Frances B. Hale of Baltimore; and four grandchildren.

Paul Gerard Dietz, 89, purchasing agent

Paul Gerard Dietz, a retired accountant and purchasing agent who worked for Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. for 50 years, died Tuesday at Stella Maris Hospice from complications of a stroke. The longtime Timonium resident was 89.

The son of a steel worker who was born and raised in Highlandtown, Mr. Dietz began drawing as a teen-ager. He attended Calvert Hall College and then earned a one-year scholarship to the Maryland Institute, College of Art. During the 1920s, he drew advertising sketches that were used by Baltimore department stores.

In 1926, he went to work as an accountant for BGE and later became a purchasing agent. He retired in 1976. In 1932, he was married to Elizabeth Anna Hart.

During the late 1940s, he served as scoutmaster to Troop No. 26 in Parkville.

Mr. Dietz was an avid dancer, baker and gourmet cook. He also was an enthusiastic flower and vegetable gardener who enjoyed sharing his backyard bounty with his neighbors and friends.

He was a communicant of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 101 Church Lane, Texas, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Saturday.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, John Dietz of Los Gatos, Calif.; a sister, Elizabeth Walters of Galena, Kent County; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

Nellie M. Adcock, 97, accounting manager

Nellie M. Adcock, who worked for 50 years as an accounting manager for Commercial Credit Co., died in her sleep Monday at Edenwald Retirement Community in Towson. She was 97.

Mrs. Adcock began her career with the Baltimore-based company in 1917.

At her retirement in 1967, she was the first employee of the company to receive a 50-year pin in recognition of her service to the company.

As accounting manager for the Baltimore office of the company's business loan division, she also helped establish four similar branches in Charlotte, N.C., Cleveland, Cincinnati and Atlanta.

The former Nellie Manchey was born in Lemoyne, Pa., and raised in Manchester, where she graduated from public schools.

A longtime resident of Rodgers Forge, she was married for more than 40 years to Albert G. Adcock, who died in 1973.

She was a member of Masonic Chapter No. 70 of the Order of the Eastern Star and a member of Rodgers Forge United Methodist Church.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. today at Mitchell-Wiedefeld Home Inc., 6500 York Road, Rodgers Forge.

She is survived by a sister, Beulah Manchey Smyth of Towson; and several nieces and nephews.

C. James Fox, 51, insurance executive

C. James Fox, a Towson insurance executive and Chesapeake Bay yachtsman, died Tuesday of cancer at his Towson residence. He was 51.

In 1985, Mr. Fox took over Fox & Hagner Inc., a Towson insurance brokerage that had been founded in 1929 by his late father, Marbury B. Fox Jr.

The lifelong Towson resident was a 1965 graduate of Staunton (Va.) Military Academy and served from 1970 to 1971 in Army intelligence in Vietnam. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Baltimore in the early 1970s.

Mr. Fox was a well-known figure on the bay, where he enjoyed racing his red 12-meter sloop Fox with family and friends serving as crew. He was a founding member of the Baltimore City Yacht Association and raced in the club's inaugural race in 1987.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1108 Providence Road in Towson.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years, the former Peggy Simmons; a daughter, Catherine J. Fox of Towson; his mother, Lees T. Fox of the Woodbrook section of Baltimore County; two sisters, B. J. Litz of White Hall and Mary Lees Gunther of Sykesville; and two stepsons, Darby Simmons of White Marsh and Sean Simmons of Annapolis.